Waiting for Lightning Movie Review

Kidzworld checks out the cool, extreme skateboarder film “Waiting for Lightning”.

By: Lynn Barker

If you came from a broken home and you lived in sunny California, you too might spend time escaping to the local skateboard park and making run after run until you were better, even as a tween, that most boarders twice your age, even the pros! Waiting for Lightning is the story of Danny Way, who, at age 31, jumped the Great Wall of China on a skateboardafter a lifetime of boarding.

Challenging the Wall

Adult Danny and his team are working with the Chinese to build a humungous ramp that will enable the daredevil boarder to leap the famous Great Wall of China. It must be perfect or he could crash.

Young Danny

In flashbacks, we meet the young Danny whose beloved hippy dad died while in jail on a small charge. Raising Danny and his bro wasn’t easy for his mom who dated abusive guys and got into drugs. To escape, Danny would head to the local skate park or an empty pool. He gets better and better at boarding. When his brother is attacked and partially paralyzed, Danny pours his life into skating for both of them.

Teen Danny

Danny’s mom lets him quit school to be on the pro boarding circuit at 15. His creative tricks are continual winners. Danny gets a great mentor/manager named Mike who serves as an older bro/dad figure in his life. Danny and buds get in some trouble in high school. He recovers from his own bad injuries. When mentor Mike is killed in a car wreck, Danny hits bottom but continues to hide his pain in his sport. He also surfs and snowboards, almost dying in a surfing accident.

Older Danny

By his 20’s Danny is well known in the skateboarding world as Tony Hawk, Laird Hamilton and other famous boarders attest. He starts building giant ramps and jumping out of helicopters onto them! More and bigger stunts! The gnarlier the better! Danny marries and has a son.

Back to the Wall

With the huge ramp built, adult Danny decides to give it a trial run. It’s too short!! He makes the leap barely but badly injures his foot and ankle. Danny insists they lengthen the ramp and, despite the bad foot, he makes the big jump on live Chinese TV and lands it! This was 2005. Just this year, we see Danny on another huge ramp in Hawaii.

Wrapping Up

Even if you aren’t a skateboarder or fan, you really get involved with watching young, then older Danny pull some of the most amazing board stunts ever. The Great Wall jump will have you chewing your fingernails and then sitting there open-mouthed as the famous boarder falls then accomplishes the leap. Just scary and amazing!

There is also a good personal story behind this daredevil and you and your buds might identify with the tween and teen boy who used skateboarding to fill the holes in his life and drown his sorrows. Most of all, you’ll just enjoy watching the tricks, stunts and giant, BIG air leaps this daredevil accomplishes. The photography really puts you right there front and center. For exciting sports action with a little heart, we’ll go four stars. Catch this one available for download or in some local theaters starting December 7th.